Cultivator.



GULTIVATOR. v APPLIUATION Hup JULY 29.1910. 99 3,081 Patented May I23, 1911.

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GULTIVATOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

Patented May 23, 1911.

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OULTIVATOR. V APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

Patented May 23, 1911.

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GULTWATOB.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 28, 1910. 993,081 A Patented May 23,1911.

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ALEXUS C. LINDGREN, OF

MOLINE, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOR To MOLINE PLOW COMPANY,

A CORPORATION oF ILLINOIS. f

CULTIVATOR.

i o sugar beets, where the conditions are such 10l that the cultivating tools must act close to the plants, and consequently must-be guided -with great accuracy to ,follow truly any de viations which may exist in the rows.'

To meet these conditions, the invention consists in various `'improvements in the form and construction of the machine, said improvements relating more particularly to the means for guidingand'controlling the cultivating tools, and the mannen of mountvarious adjustments. of the too'ls, and to other features of constructionl designed to render the machine as a whole durable in construction and effective in operation.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan View of my improved machine showing the same as it appears when traveling in a straight path. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts as they appear when the machine is guided tothe right. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a p rear, elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of the tool supporting bar. Figs.4 G, 7 and 8 are scctionalelevations taken respectively on the lines a-a, b--b and c-vc of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a View of a detail. i

'Referring to the drawings ;1 represents a transverse main frame bar, preferably in the form Oftwometal rails 1a disposed edgewise side by side and suitably spaced apart and held firmly in spaced relations a single structure means of blocks, 2, 2, seate'd between the bars near the opposite ends of the saine and firmly bolted thereto, This frame bar issustained by .ground wheels 3 and4 mounted-On stub axles onl the lower'v ends respectively of vertical stems-Bb and 4b,

:u whose upperends are mounted loosely in bearing Openings 1n the blocks 2, 2, which latter' rest on collars 3", 4, on'the stems, so'

` that the said wheels will support the frame and may swivel relatively to the same around .vertical axes, yfor the purpose pres; ses ently tie-.be describedI .Fixed .firmly ,to ,the

specification of Letters Patent.

ing the ltoolsl on the frame to provide for- Patented May 23, 1911.

AppIication led July 28, 1910. Serial No. 574,330.

transverse frame bar 1, on opposite sides of its center', are two fore and aft frame bars 5, 5, which converge toward their rear ends, where they give support to a drivers seat A, and have their rear extremities fixed to the sides of a casting or block 6, in which the upper end of a caster. wheel stem 7 is mounted, and by which wheel the rear end of the frame is supported. The fore and aft bars terminate a short distance in front of the frame bar 1 and have pivoted tO their inner sides, by means of horizontal pivot,- bolts 8,8, therear ends of arms 9, 9, lextending forwardly and fixed firmly to the sides of a draft tongue 10.

horizontal tool-carrying frame 11 of rectangular form, and comprising a front transverse draft bar 12, a rear transverse tool-supporting bar 13, and a number of fore and aft connecting bars-four in the present instance-twoouter ones 14 and 15, and two inner ones 1G and 17, which are spaced uniformly apart and connected-.at

their front and rear -ends respectively with draft bar 12 and the tool-supportingbar 13. The tool carrying frame made up of these parts forms in effect a single unitary structure arranged beneath the main frame of the machine with the wheel 3 situated be tween the fore and aft bars 14 and 16 and the wheel 4 situated between the fore and aft bars 15 and 16. This frame is supported from the main frame in such manner that it may be shifted bodily in a transverse direction back and forth to cause the cultivating tools B, carried by the rear bar 13, to follow the rows of plants; and the parts of the frame are so connected together that the yrear tool supporting bar may be raised and lowered relative to the `front draft burin order to control the depth of the cultivating tools in the soil.

The connection of the frame to permit this to arts of the main e done, is shown 70 Arranged beneath the main frame is amore particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, Where it will be seen that the forward ends Of the fore and aft bars 14, 15, 16, 17, are Seated respectively vflatly 'against' the sides of bracketV blocksvlQ, 20, 21 and 22, which are in turn fixed to the rear side ofthe draft bar 12, the said fore and aft bars being connecte'd to the bracket blocks by horizontal 'pivot bolts `2 3 extending through thebars and blocks,this,constructionjpermitting the no tool supporting bar to rock vertically 'ith reference tothe draft bar on a horizontal transverse axis coincident with the axes of the pivoting bolts. At their rear ends, the fore and aft bars are firmly :fixed respectively to bracket plates 24k, 25, 26 and 27, connected in turn to the tool supporting bar lf3 by connecting plates 24a, 25a, 26al and 27a, fixed to the supporting bar by vertical lclamping bolts 28, 29, and 31. At their lower ends, each eonneetingplate is jointed to'its bracket plate by a horizontal bolt 32, while at its upper end the 'connecting plate and bracket plate are adjustably clamped' together by mplainping bolt 32a, carried by the surface of the ground so as to vary theirv penetration.

`The tool carrying frame 11, before alluded to, is supported by theinain` frame by means of-a series of parallel laterally swinging links-four in the present instance-35,

. 36, 37 and 38, which links extend'forwardly and downwardly from the transverse frame bar 1 to the transverse draft bar 12, vthe-upper ends of the links beingprovided with vertical pivotingstuds seated loosely in bearing openings in blocks 38a and 39, e0 and el, fixed to the bars 1a, while Athe lower ends of the links are similarly provided with studs 41, 42, 43 and 44, mounted loosely respeetively in bearingr openings in the bearingblocks 19, 20, 21 and 22 on the draft bar, this construction permitting theframe 11 te shift transversely back and forth while preservingr its rectangular relation to the line of draft, so that notwithstandingil the position' transversely the frame may be in, the eiiilti vating` tools will face squarely in the line ot' travel. i

rlhe weight of the forward ends, of the frame 11 sustained by two vertical suspending links 45 and et, pivoted at their 'upper ends respe(.'-tively to the ont-turned ends of the 'fore and att i'iranie hars 5, 5,

- and pivoted at their lower ends to the transtheir lower extremities, heads 50 and 51,

adapted when the links are raised, to engage the plates and litt the ltool supportiiigV har,

spiral springs 53 and .'34 encircling' the links vand have their forward ends vpivotally conmay be raised or lowered and held. .with a yielding spring action in the'ground. y

The transverse movements of the 'frame '11 in the action of guiding thecultivating tools is effected by means of a foot lever C,

pivoted between its ends, as at 61, to a lon-Y gitudinal bar 62, VFixed at its-forward end to.

the.transverse framebar 1 and at its rear end tothe seat standard 63, which supports the. drivers seat A. lThe foot ,lever is con# nected with the draft bar 12 or the fratrie 11.

by means of two links 64, jointed at their rear ends respectively witl'i the-ends of the 'i foot lever, and extending outwardly there from and 'jointed at their forward ends to the draft bar, the arrangement being such that pressure oneither end of 'the lever-will By this ineans,A the driver is enabled to effeetuallycontroi the pat-h of travel of the cultivating tools, andby pressing on one or the other end of the foot'lever', cause. the tools to follow accurately any deviations or irregularities in the rows of plants.l ln order that when the tools are thus moved transversely the Inainfrarne will be eaused to follow, l secon-neet the ground wheel sten'is'with the frame-11 that the ground wheels will be turned as 'the tool is shifted. This action is efected, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, by means ot' two longitudinal links 65 and 66, fixed at their rear ends respectively to the lower ends of the wheel. stems, and pivoted at their `ii'oiit ends respectively to the draft bar l2 on vertical axes, by pivot bolts 67 and 68, the

points ot' pivotal ei'inneetion between the liiiksand the drafthar being` made adjust able lransrersel-v along` said bar by providing in the latter a series ot/lioles 65 to receive tht'l pivoting boltsn As a result of this ai'raiigeiiient, when the foot lever is pushed to the rie-lit, as shown in Fig. 2, the traine i2 will be inovcd endwise to the riig'l'it and will. correspondingly' shift the' 'cultivating tools, at thesaine time turning thei'groiiiid wheels and causing the machine to `t'ollow iii-the saine direction.

vrl`hc traine 11 is braced se that it will 'inaintain iis-rectangular shape, by means of two brace-straps 70 and 71, fixed at their rear ends respectively to the two fore and aft bars'i and 17, .whence they converge ltSD v'nected on a horizontal axis, as atv72, to a rearwardl extending plate 7 3 in the transverse ldra t bar' 12. The draft of the animals'iszfpplied to the tool supporting frame V11 by means of a forwardly extending draft formingja number of holes D in the bars l i to receive the 'bolts by-which the blocks 2 are connected between the seatvbars. lIn the adjustments of the wheel stems 'by this means, brace rods E, by which 'said stems are braced to the main frame, are adjusted at their rear ends along the sides ofthe fore and aftv lframe barsn, 5, the latter being formed 0'y with a number of holesF A to receive bolts f, by means of which 'therear ends of these brace rods 'are connected with the framebars.

likewise, it will be necessary when the wheel stems are adjusted transversely, to acljust vthe pivotal connections of the links 65 and 466 with the transverse draft bar by changing the pivoting bolts 67 and G8 from i' one hole to another in said draft bar.

In'the use of the machine in hard, dry ground, Where considerable pressure 1s necessary on the tool carrying frame llftoV cause y the cultivating tools to enter the ground, it

is found that when suliicient pressurel is thus applied through the levers and suspending linkspit tends to take the weight ott' the ground wheels. This interferes materially vvith the action of the wheels 'in properly guiding the machine, and in order to avoid lsuch objectionable action and at the same time provide for assisting the driver in lifting 4the tool frame, I provide' two lifting springs 74 and 75, connected at their upper ends with the rear ends of the tongue arms 9 in rear of their pivots 8, and connected at their lower ends respectively with the fore and aft bars 16 and 17. These springs 'act to support the weight of the tongue and. '-neck yoke and thereby transfer the same to the frame, the leverage of the parts by acting through the frame l1 and suspending linkscausing the frame to fulcrunu'on the points of contactA of lthe' tools with the ground, and in this manner throwing the weight of the tongue and'neck yoke on the ground wheels. 1

` The tool Ysupporting .bar consists of a5 plurality of members in the form of three Hat. steel rails- 80, '81, 82, arranged one above the other and firmly and fixedly connected Vin spaced lrelations to theconnecting plates 24, 25, 5261l and 27, before alluded t-o. These plates are provided with rearwardly extending horizontal socketed ledges 83,' 84,

`85, in the sockets of which ledges the bars are seated and secured by means of the vertical clamping bolts 28, which pass through the ledges and sockets and through the bars. The relative form and' arrangement of the sockets is s uch vthat the bars will extend one a slight distance in advance of the other, thelower bar 8:2 being slightly in advance of the central bar in advance of the upper bar 80, the purpose of this construction being to afford such a support for the cultivating` tools that the strain on their lower ends,l where they enter the' ground, will be properly resisted and -prevented from twisting t-he parts of the bar- The cultivating tools are in the form of sweeps .8G arranged in four pairs to cultivate four rows of plants at once, which sweeps are carried onthe lower ends of vertical shanks 87 connected to the sides of the bar 13 by means of clip ldevices 8S of such form that the individual sweeps maybe adj usted in a transverse directiolralong the bar to vary the distancebctween them, ormay be adjusted vertically according to the conditions encountered in practice. The clip devices 'are each in the form of `a clamping frame '88, provided in one side with notches 88b to receive the edges of two of the rails of the supporting bar, to which -the clamping frame is firmly clamped by means of a horizontal clamping bolt 88 through the medium of the shank S7. This shank extends vertically through the opening 8S in the frame and also through 8i, and the latter slightly an opening 88' in the inner end of the'clamptightly and Iirnily against the edges of the i rails, the latter being thus tightly clamped between the frame and the strap plate. By`

`loosening the nut, the clamping frame and connected parts, including the shank of the cultivating tool, may be moved transversely along the bar and set in the position desired. So also the shank of the tool may be adjusted vertically in the opening in the plate to vary the height ofthe tool. The individual tools'of the several pairs have their shanks applied respectively on opposite sides 'of "the bar '13 in order to equalize the strain thereon. Then applied to the front side of the bar, the clampingframe of the clip de!- Vvices 1s seated ,against the two upper rails, `asin Fig. 7 and by reason of the vfact that the lower rail is in advance' of the others, the shank carried by the clip device will have a bearing against the lower rail. As a result of this arrangement, the tendency of the strain coming against the shanks to force them rearwardly and thereby twist the two upper rails, will be resisted by the lower rail.

l `Whenthe tools are' applied to the rear side ofthe bar l, the clamping frame will bear against the two lower rails of the bar, and the upper end of the shank will have a bearing against the upper rtiil, which is a slight distance ijn rear of the others, the result being that, as in the first instance described, the tendencyY of the rearward strain on the cultivating tool to twist the two lower rails,

will`be resisted by the'upper rrail. The action of the strain againstv the tools in the construction described-is to cause al straight pull on the clamping devices in one direction, andl a straight push against the supporting rail in the other direction, thereby eltectually preventing any twist on the two rails to which the clamping device is clamped.

The bar 13,-ma de up of the three connected rails as described, forms in effect a tool holding bar' having a supporting surface, formed by two of the itails,.to receive the clip device,l and an abutment, formed by the third rail, to receive the thrust of the shank of. the cultivating tools, the two upper rails forming the supporting surface, and the lower rail the abutment when the Shanks are applied to the front ol the bar; and the two lower rails forming the supporting, surface,

i and the upper rail the abutment, when the Shanks are applied to the rear of the bar.

ln the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my machine with-,the parts in the. form which l prefer to adopt, and which in practice has been found to answer to a satisfactory degree the objects to be attained. lt is manifest, however, that the details may be variously modified by persons skilled in thev art, without departing from the limits of my invention, provided the operation is substantially as indicated above. Further, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any partit-ulm :torni orconstruction of the parts except in so t'ar as such limitations are specified in the claims.

. Having thus described my invention, what v I claim is:-

l. In acultivator, and in combination with the inain trame, a horizontal transversely cxtendingtool carrying frame sus-- l tained beneath the main frame and movable as a Whole bodily transversely thereof with reference to the main frame, said tool carrying lframe comprisingv a front transverse draft bar, arear transverse tool carrying bar and tore and aft connecting bars conl nected Iixedly at their rear ends to the tool carrying bar, a series o'l cultivating tools lixcd to the tool carrying bai', and alever mechanism ior controlling the transverse movements oic the tool carrying frame;

2. ln -a ciiltivator, and in combination with theiiiain frame, a horizontal transversely extending tool carryingframe sus-i.

tained beneath the main frameand movable'.

as a whole bodily transversely thereof` with reference to the main frame, said tool carrying'frame comprising a front draft bar, a

rear toolcarrying bar and fore and aft con:

necting bars pivoted at their forwardends to the draft` bar and connected fixedly at their rear ends to the tool carrying bar,c'u'l-.-

tivating tools carried by the rear bar, afoot lever mechanism for controlling' the transverse movements of the'tool carrying frame, and a hand lever mechanism sustained -by the main frame and connected with the tool carrying frame for-raising and'lowering the latter.

In a cult-ivator,- and in combination with the main frame, a horizontall trans-j veisely extending tool carrying. frame sustained beneath the-main frame and `movable bodily transversely thereof, said tool carrying frame comprising a front dra-ft bar, a rear tool carryingy bar and outer aiid` inner `fore and aft connecting bars, ground wheels' sustaining the'main frame and movable relatively thereto about a vertical aX1S,.,Sald

wheels arranged respectively between'. the innerand outer fore and aft connecting bars,

connections between the wheels and tool carrying frame to cause the Wheels to turn when the fraineis shifted transversely, and a lever mechanism for controlling. thel transverse movements of the tool carrying frame.- Il, ln a ciiltivator, and 'in combination with the main frame, a horizontal' transfv versely extending tool carrying frame arranged beneath the main frame and movable bodily transversely thereof, said tool carrying-frame comprising a front draftA bar, a rear tool carrying bar,` fore and aft` bars jointed at their forward ends to the draft bar and fixed at their rear ends to the toolcarrying bar, and`brace rods Vfixed at their rear ends to the fore and aft bars and pivot-' ed at their forward ends to the draft bar on an axis coincident with the axes of the connection of the fore and aft bars, and a lever' mechanism for controlling the movements of v the tool carrying frame. 5. In a ciiltivator, and in combination with the main frame including a transverse Atraine bar, ground wheels carried by supports mounted on the frame bar to swivel on vertical axesand adjustable transversely along said bar, a tool carrying frame snsiis tained beneath the traine bar and movable bodily vtransversely of the line of travel, l

and connecting devices between the wheels'.

and tool carrying'frame, said connecting dee 4121i supports respectively and connected at their vices being-'fixed at one end to the Wheel opposite ends adjustably to the Wheel carrying frames.

(3. ln a ciiltivator, and. in combination with the main frame, ground -wheels sup- 'n'ected with the tool carrying porting the same, a tool carrying frame beneath the mam frame and movable up and down, cultlvating tools carried by the tool i carrying frame in rear of the ground Wheels,

means carried by the main frameand conframe for forcing the cultivating tools into the ground, a draft member mounted on the main frame on a transverse axis, and springs connected respectively with the tongue and tool carrying frame.

7. In a'cultivator, and in combination with the main frame, a tool carrying frame sustained beneath the main frame and comprising a front draft bar, a rear tool carry ing bar and `fore and aft connecting bars pivoted at their forward ends to the drat't bar and fixed at their rear ends to the tool carrying bar, cultivating tools on the rear bar in rear of the ground wheels, a lever on the main frame, a depressing rod connected with the lever and tool carrying fran'ie for forcing the tools into the ground, a draft tongue provided 'with rearwardly extending arms pivoted to the main frame on a horizontal transverse axis, and springs connected at their upper ends to said arms in rear .of their axes and connected at their lower ends to the fore and aft bars of the tool carrying frame.

8. In a cultivator, a tool holding bar provided with a sui'iporting surface and an abutment, in combination with a tool holding device applied to the supporting surface, and a cultivating tool formed with a shank held by thefholding device free of the supporting surface and engaging the abutment.

9. In a cultivator, a tool holding bar provided on opposite sides with supporting surfaces arranged respectively at the top and bottom of the bar and having abutments disposed respectively above and 'below the supporting surface, in combination, with ay series of tool holding` devices applied respectively at the front and rear sides ot the bar on the supporting surfaces, and cultivating tools provided with shanks held by the respective devices free of the supporting surface and engaging the abutments.

l l 1 l l l l l l i l a l 10. In a' cultivator, a tool carrying bar comprising a plurality of connected mem bers, a tool holding device, means for clamping the same to two of said members, and a cultivating tool provided with a shank held by said device and engaging another of said members.

1l. In a cultivator, a tool carrying bar comprising a plurality of connected` members arranged one above another and spaced apart, a tool holding device, means for clamping the same to the front of two of said members, a cultivating tool provided with a shank held by said device and engaging the front of 4one of the members below the holding device, a second holding device, means for clamping the same to the rear of two of said members, and a cultivating tool provided with a shank held by said device and engaging one of the members above the same.

12. In a cultivator, `a tool holding bar comprising a series of connected members arranged one above the other, in combination with a series of tool holdin ir devices applied respectively to opposite sir es of the bar, those on the front engaging the upper members and those on the rear engaging the lower members, means for clamping the devices to said members, cultivating tools provided with Shanks held by the respective devices, the shanks on the rear engaging one of the members above their holding devices, and the Shanks at the front engaging one of the members below their holding devices.

113. In a eultivator` a tool holding bar comprising three rails spaced apart one above the other and each in advance 0f the next. above, in combination with a tool holding device applied to the front of the two upper rails, and a cultivating tool having a shank held by the device and engaging the lower rail.

'ln testimony whereof I hereunto set my' hand this 26th day of July, 1910, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

' ALEXUS C. LINDGREN. Titnesses L` (J. BLANDING, lV. RICHARDS. 

